Switch box support



July 28, 1 931. w, B, HUSSAR v 1,816,584

SWITCH BOX SUPPORT 1 Filed Jan. 6, 19150 INVENTOR.'

Patented July 28, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM B. HU SSAB, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI SWITCH .'BOX SUPPORT Application led January 6, 1980. Serial No. 418,868.

My invention relates to electric supports.

placing switch boxes 1n the walls of old buildings, it is necessary to cut a hole 5 in the plaster or other wall material and to cut the lath where the plaster is supported by lath, and, in so doing, it frequently becomes necessary to provide supports for holding the box by the usual screws, especially where the lath is weak, or where plaster board is used in the wall. The positioning of additional support for screws to enter 1s sometimes impossible in old walls, as the hole is so small that a workman cannot place the necessary supports 1n the same between the walls.

It is, therefore, the primary object ,of my invention to provide a switch box support for both old buildings and new buildmgs under construction which can be quickly and easily associated with the switch box b first passing one of the supports throug the switch box opening in the wall and then clamping one of its fingers into engagement with the inside face of the box and then passing a second support through the opening and then clamping its fingers into engagement with the inside face of the opposite switch box side wall to securely support the switch box at any particular location in the wall without the use of screws, nails or equivalent fastening devices.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a support, two of which are required to support a switch box, which comprises a metallic strap member havlng corner cutaway portions to provide supporting shoulders for engaging the opposite edge of the switch box opening and the inner face of the lath, or plaster board when lath is not used, and providing the strap member with one or more flexible fingers adapted to be folded over the frontedge of the switch box sides.

switch box A still further object of the invention is With the above and other objects in view, the nature and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawlngs.

The invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a switch box supported in a wall opening by means of supports embodyin my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a switch box supported in a wall opening by means of my improved. supports.

Fi 3 is a top plan view and partly sectiona view of the switch box supported in a wall opening by means of my improved supports.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the supports.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a gang switch box sustained in a wall opening by means of two of the supports.

In the drawings, the reference character l designates a fragmentary portion of a wall having an opening 2 formed therein. 3 designates a switch box having the usual fastener receiving angle stop plates 4 which are carried at the front edges of the upper and lower walls of the switch box 3 and which are adapted to engage the front face of the wall 1 to prevent rearward movement of the switch box within the wall opening 2. 5 designates the usual lugs or ears carried by the front edges of the upper and lower walls of the switch box to which a switch box face plate 6 isadapted to be secured by suitable fastening devices, such as screws 7 The supporting means for holding the switch box within the wall opening 2 against up and down and outward displacement will now be described.

There are two supports used to support each switch box, or a gang of switch boxes and each support comprlses a flat metallic strap member 8 which is substantially rectangular in side elevation. This strap member is provided with a right an lar cutaway portion at the upper and ower front corners thereof to provide right an ular shouldershaving the horizontally posed shoulder edges 9 adafpted to engage the upper and lower edges o the wall opening 2 and the vertically disposed edges 10 adapted for contact with the inner face of the wall 1, thereby preventing up and down and outwardly displacement of the supports when inserted in and to the rear of the wall opening 2 along and in contact with each side wall of the, switch box 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and in detail in Fig. 4.

Each support is further provlded w1th one or more flexible fingers 11, which when more than one are spaced a suitable distance apart, as shown in Fig. 4 and which extend forwardly a suitable distance from the front edge 12 of the strap member 8. The fingers 11 are adapted to be folded over the front edges of the side walls of the switch box 3 and clamped into engagement with the inner faces of theside walls of the switch box 3, which serve the dual function of preventing the switch box from being displaced outwardly relative to the supports and preventing the supports from being displaced rearwardly relative to the switch box 3, as will be apparent from Fig. 2 of the drawmgs.

The fingers 11, as will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3, when folded over the front edges of the side walls of the switch box draw the shoulder edges 9 of the strap member 8 tightly into engagement with the inner face .of the wall 1 adjacent the upper and lower edges of the wall opening 2 and draws the angle stop plates 4 into tight contact or engagement with the front face of y the wall adjacent the upper and lower edges of the wall opening 2, thus preventing any possible displacement `of the switch box 3 in the wall opening 2 and without the aid of any fastening devices, such for instance as screws, or nails, usually carried by the angle stop plates 4.

To support a switch box in a wall opening with my improved supports after it has been positioned in the opening, the workman first inserts a support 8 into the wall opening 2 between one side edge of the opening and one of the-side walls of the switch box and then pulls it forward so that the shoulder edges 9 of the support engage the inner face of the wall 1 above and below the Wall lopening. This brings the shoulder edges 9 support. After the one support has been' clamped into position, the workman inserts the second support into the wall opening 2 between the opposite side wall of the switch box and the side of the wall opening and l then folds the fingers 11 thereof over the .front edge of the other side wall of the switch box and clamps it into engagement with the inner face thereof. The switch box 3 is then securely Aheld in position in the wall -opening and without the aid of screws or nails.

To remove a switch box from the wall openin s, the workman merely removes the face p ate and then unfolds the fingers 11 of one support to remove it from the opening and then unfolds the fingers of the other support and removes it from the opening. When this has been carried out, the Switch box can be readily removed.

From the foregoing description, it is evinated 3 are used in a single opening, two supports 8 will likewise securely hold them in position, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. v rom the foregoin description, it is evident that a simple evice for this purpose has been disclosed, but it is to be understood that I do not desire to restrict, or limit myself to the very details of the construction shown and described, which is merely illustrative2 it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made without conflicting or departing from the spirit of the invention within the lscope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A switch box support comprising a rectangular flat metallic strapmember having its upper and-lower front corners provided with a rightangular cutaway portion to form opposed ,shoulders and a flexible finger directed from the front edge of the strap member intermediate the corner shoulders thereof.

2. A switch box support comprisin a rectangular flat metallic strap member aving its upper and lower front corners provided with a right angular cutaway portion to form op osed shoulders and a lurality of spaced exible fingers directed) from the front edge. of the strap member intermediate the corner shoulders thereof.

3. The combination with a switch box and a wall having'a switch box receiving opening therein, said switch box having a stop plate carried by the upper and lower walls thereof, of a pair of metallic supports dis- )osed between theside walls of the switch box and the side edges of the wall opening, said'supports each having its upper and lower front corners cutaway to provide op- .posed right angular shoulders, the front edges of which shoulders are adapted to engage the inner face of the wall above and below the wall opening and flexible fingers directed forwardly from the front edge of each support intermediate the cutout corners thereof adapted to lbe folded over the front edges of the side walls of the switch box and clamped into engagement with the inner-faces ofthe side Walls of the switch box for drawing the 'ends of supports into tight engagement with the inner face of the wall and the stop plates into tight engavement with the outer face of the wall or securely holding the switch box in the Wall openingl against displacement without the aid of fastening devices passing through the stop plates and into the Wall.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

- WILLIAM B. HUSSAR. 

